Campaign launched at Labour conference to end child deaths in custody

A campaign to end child deaths in custody was launched by the
Howard League for Penal Reform at the Labour party conference
today, writes Maria Ahmed from
Brighton.

Since 1990, 29 children have died in custody – an average
of two young people a year. This includes the most recent death of
17-year-old Sam Elphick at Hindley Young Offender Institution on 15
September.

Elphick was known to be at risk of suicide but had not been
categorised as vulnerable.

The charity’s campaign is launched as the number of
children in prison has risen from 3,130 in October last year to
3,423 this month.

Director of the Howard League Frances Crook said today “We
must end child deaths in custody.”

“It is so sad that we launch this campaign when yet
another child has recently taken his own life in a prison. We want
no more families to mourn their lost children, no more staff to cut
down a child’s body from prison bars, no more
excuses.”